Where We Are Going

1Louisiana Reading Initiative

Only 29% of 3rd graders in Louisiana reading on grade-level.Therefore, CDL intends to launch a campaign for policies requiring elementary, special education, and reading specialist candidates to pass a high validity exam on how to teach reading using systematic, evidence-based methods, as a prerequisite for certification from both traditional and alternate programs.

2New Orleans Literacy and Learning Institute

CDL aims to establish a literacy and learning institute within the next five years that will provide year-round services to the Greater New Orleans community. We will seek strong, results-focused partners. The institute will be dedicated to organizing, integrating, and embedding high-yield, evidence-based practices in its services, including:

Establishing neighborhood outreach centers in underserved New Orleans neighborhoods that provide services specific to community needs such as evidence-based reading instruction and remediation for K-12 public school students, help with homework, and adult literacy programs, including financial literacy;

Increasing parent capacity to support and increase literacy skills in their children;

Developing and supporting literacy leaders in Greater New Orleans schools;

Providing and promoting high-yield, year-round reading programs for juveniles in detention centers at the New Orleans Youth Study Center and Orleans Parish Prison;

Expanding and supporting rigorous literacy and parenting programs for young parents such as CDL’s Teens & Tots;

Providing programs and services that will increase the capacity of early childhood centers throughout Greater New Orleans, particularly with language and literacy development; and

Supporting colleges of education in Greater New Orleans universities as they (a) increase the intensity of evidence-based reading knowledge and practice in teacher preparation programs, and (b) prepare teacher candidates to be successful in meeting the literacy requirements for teacher licensure.